Burundi begins mass coronavirus testing

Burundi has launched a mass testing campaign for coronavirus, in a fresh campaign by the new government to fight the spread of the pandemic.

Former president, Pierre Nkurunziza was accused of downplaying the issue, saying “God had cleared [coronavirus] from Burundi’s skies”, almost a fortnight before he died last month of cardiac arrest.

But last week, his successor Evariste Ndayishimiye, declared coronavirus a “major enemy of Burundians” and vowed “to start the fight against that enemy”.

At the launch of the campaign in Bujumbura, many people were unusually seen wearing masks.

A record of 640 tests were taken on the day, the highest number since March when the virus was reported in the country.

Since the new president took office on June 18, more than 1,900 tests have been taken compared with only 1,200 taken before.

The heath ministry says the campaign testing will continue in order to show the status of the virus in the country.

Burundi has so far reported 191 cases from 3,200 tests done in the past three months.